Tiller arrangement for sailboats



Dec.y26, 196,7l J `H.BRA2|ER I TILL-ER ARRANGEMENT FOR SAILBOATS FiledDeC. 17, 1965 United .States Patent O York Filed Dec. 17, 1965, Ser. No.524,989 4 Claims. (Cl. 74501.5)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A tiller arrangement especially suitable forsmall sailing craft, designed to facilitate control of the rudder underall conditions with minimum transverse movement ofthe tiller, at anyselected horizontal angle, wherein the tiller is pivoted on a horizontalaxis, permitting it to be elevated out of the way of the steersman andthere rotated in disconnectedrelation to the rudder, While in itslowered position the tiller is operatively connected to the rudder. Thisconnection is accomplished by means of interengageable elements on thelower part of the tiller and` on a horizontally rotatable member,respectively, adjacent the deck, said last mentioned member beingconnected to the rudder for transmitting to it horizontal movement ofthetiller.

My invention relates to steering devices for sailing craft, and hasespecially to do with a tiller arrangement which is especially suitablefor small sailboats of singleor multiple-rudder design.

Small sailboats are notoriously uncomfortable by reason of the limitedspace and the limitations of physical movement in sailing the craft.Such physical movement is aggravated by the amount of rotary tillertravel and by the necessity of holding the tiller Iat a fixed anglewhile shifting body weight, as in coming about and jibbing.

To hold the tiller in a fixed position while moving from a midshipsposition to a hiked out position, is extremelydiicult. Accordingly,supplementary tiller extensions (hiking sticks) are frequently providedfor added convenience.

An object of my invention is to provide a tiller arrangement which willenable the steersman to control the rudder under all conditions withminimum transverse movement of the tiller and at any selected angle tosuit the convenience of the operator.

Still another object is to provide an arrangement of the type referredto which will permit raising the tiller to an upstanding position out ofthe line of contact with the operators body and simultaneouslydisconnecting same from operative connection with the rudder controllingapparatus, whereby the tiller may be rotated in such disconnectedcondition, without risk of contact with the operator and withoutnecessitating movement of the body to avoid such contact, and thensubsequently reconnecting the tiller with said steering apparatus at aconvenient angle.

Still another object is to provide a mechanism of the type referred towhich will be simple and inexpensive in construction, rugged andfool-proof in operation, and generally satisfactory for the purposesdesired.

Additional objects and advantages will become apparent as thedescription proceeds.

Referring now to the drawings forming a part of this specification andillustrating a preferred embodiment of my invention,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a small sailing craft to which myinvention is applied;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged perspective view showing the lowerportion of a tiller and associated parts 3,359,823 Patented Dec. 26,1967 rice of a steering mechanism, as embodied in the craft of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a top plan-section of the parts connected to the tiller asseen in FIG. 2, and as taken substantially along line 3-3 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional-elevational view taken substantiallyalong line 4-4 of FIG. 3, the tiller being shown in raised ordisconnected position, and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but showing the tiller in lowered orconnected position in relation to the associated mechanism.

Numeral 10 indicates a small sailing craft of any type or description towhich my invention is applicable. A tiller 15, which may be of anydesired type and construction, is mounted on the stern deck. Anelongated recess 17 may be provided to receive the mechanism hereinafterdescribed for controlling rudder R, although not required by myinvention.

The tiller may be a rod of generally angular shape as seen in FIG. 1,and may be formed of wood or metal, preferably tubular stock of steel,aluminum, etc., the lower extremity of tiller 15 being seated in asleeve portion 18 which may be part of a casting having oppositelyextending pintle portions 22 and also an integral radially extendingpawl portion 24.

Pawl 24 is engageable with a ratchet 27 which, in turn, is integral witha pulley 30, said pulley-ratchet being rotatably mounted on a supportingplate 33 by means to be described, said plate being secured to the deckas by screws 37.

Rotatably mounted on plate 33 as by screw 35 is a circular bushing 39having integrally formed therewith, as by casting, a pair of opposedupstanding trunnions 42 which journal the pintles 22. Said bushing ortrunnion plate 39 serves also as a bearing for pulley 30 by means ofinterlocking rectangular shoulder portions 45 formed on plate 39 andpulley 30.

Pulley 30, as seen clearly in FIGS. 4 and 5, seats several turns ofcable C for transmitting force from the tiller to rudder R.

It Will be readily apparent that the tiller 15 may be raised aboutpintles 22 as an axis to an upstanding position, as seen in FIG. 4,which is out of line with the steersmans body. In that position pawl 24is out of engagement with ratchet 27 and the tiller may then freely berotated to any desired angle without effect upon cable C or rudder R,bushing 39 sliding on plate 33. When the tiller is in this condition theoperatormay, of course, readjust the position of his body in the cockpitor relative to the deck Without any inconvenience or any risk of bodilycontact with the til'ler. After rotation of the tiller to the desiredangle, it may then be lowered, bringing pawl 24 into engagement withratchet 27 at the desired angle and the tiller then rotated in unisonwith pulley 30 to produce the desired movement of the rudder.

The shape of the tiller contributes to the effectiveness of thecombination constituting my invention, the angular form assisting inclearing the helmsm-ans knees at all times.

Referring to FIG. 5, the two ends of the cable C are secured to pulley30 as by means of headed screws 52 which serve as clamps to preventcable slippage. Spring tension means 55 also provide some elastic-ity inthe cable, consisting of a U-shaped retainer for a coil spring insertedin the cable, one end of the cable being secured to a transverse pinreacting on lthe spring, the latter being retained lby flanges on saidretainer.

Various changes coming within the spirit of my invention may ysuggestthemselves to those skilled in the art; hence, I do not Wish to belimited to the specific embodiments shown and described or usesmentioned, but intend the same to be merely exemplary, the scope of myinvention being limited only by the appended claims. For example, thespecific character of the ratchet segment and pawl may be varied widely,or reversed as to their relative positions, so long as radiallyadjustable interengageable means is provided between the base of thetiller and the pulley.

I claim:

1. In a steering mechanism for a navigable craft, including adirection-control element and flexible means for transmitting motionthereto,

(a) a pulley operatively connected to said transmission means,

(-b) means for rotatably mounting said pulley on a surface of the craftincluding (c) a bearing rotatably `seating said pulley,

(d) a manual steering element,

(e) means connecting said steering element to said bearing andpermitting rotary movement of the steering element in a vertical plane,and

(f) interconnecting means n said steering element and said pu'lley,respectively, operative when the steering element is in lowered positionto permit transmission of motion from the steering element to thedirection control element.

2. -In a steering mechanism for a navigable craft, including adirection-control element and flexible means for transmitting motionthereto,

(a) a pulley operatively connected to said transmission means,

(b) means for rotatably mounting said pulley on a surface of the craft,

(c) a tiller,

(d) means carried by the mounting means for supporting the tiller formovement on a horizontal axis between a lowered operative position andan elevated inoperative position, and

(e) interconnecting means on the tiller and pulley, re-

spectively, engageable only when the tiller is in lowered position,whereby rotation of the tiller on a vertical axis will actuate saiddirection-control element.

3. A combination as |in claim 2, wherein said interconnecting meansincludes,

(a) a detent on one of said tiller and pulley and (b) an arcuate segmenton the other of said tiller and pulley having a series of spacedformations engageable with said detent.

4. A combination as in claim 3, wherein (a) said mounting meanscomprises a base plate and bearing member rotatably supported thereon,and

(b) said pulley is rotatably retained by the base plate and bearingmember,

(c) the tiller supporting means consisting of interengaging elementscarried by the bearing member and tiller, respectively, rotatably matingwith each other to permit rotation of the tiller between a raisedinoperative position and a lowered position operatively connected to thedirection-control element.

No references cited.

FRED C. MATTERN, JR., Primary Examiner.

MILTON KAUFMAN, Examiner.

F. D. SHOEMAKER, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN A STEERING MECHANISM FOR A NAVIGABLE CRAFT, INCLUDING ADIRECTION-CONTROL ELEMENT AND FLEXIBLE MEANS FOR TRANSMITTING MOTIONTHERETO, (A) A PULLEY OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID TRANSMISSION MEANS,(B) MEANS FOR ROTATABLY MOUNTING SAID PULLEY ON A SURFACE OF THE CRAFTINCLUDING (C) A BEARING ROTATABLY SEATING SAID PULLEY, (D) A MANUALSTEERING ELEMENT, (E) MEANS CONNECTING SAID STEERING ELEMENT TO SAIDBEARING AND PERMITTING ROTARY MOVEMENT OF THE STEERING ELEMENT IN AVERTICAL PLANE, AND (F) INTERCONNECTING MEANS ON SAID STEERING ELEMENTAND SAID PULLEY, RESPECTIVELY, OPERATIVE WHEN THE STEERING ELEMENT IS INLOWERED POSITION TO PERMIT TRANSMISSION OF MOTION FROM THE STEERINGELEMENT TO THE DIRECTION CONTROL ELEMENT.